


Overuse

by WonderfullyWonderingAlone59



Category: Queliot - Fandom, The Magicians
Genre: Depression, Multi, breakdown - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-10-25 11:17:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17724161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WonderfullyWonderingAlone59/pseuds/WonderfullyWonderingAlone59
Summary: After weeks of exams, the stress takes a toll on Quentin mentally





	Overuse

Penny was dreaming. Dreaming that there was static coming from down the hall and he couldn’t figure out what it was. He was wandering the halls trying to find the culprit but was having no luck. 

It was getting louder. He couldn’t make out if anything was being said or not but he could see words floating through his mind. Words like help, hurt, and useless.

Penny woke with a startle. He raised his head and looked around the room. 

Static. 

Maybe it wasn’t all a dream after all. He sat up and listened. Nothing but static. He saw those words in his mind again. He closed his eyes and focused on where it was coming from. The feeling it gave him was familiar. Reminded him of someone.

Quentin. 

Penny threw the covers back and got up. He left his room and peaked into Quentin’s room only to find it empty. He checked Eliot’s next since most of the time he ends up there. Not there either. He went to the stairs and stopped before going down. It was still dark and he could make out a figure sitting on the bottom step. He took each step quiet and slowly. When he reached the bottom he walked around the figure to face it. Quentin was staring straight ahead at the wall, not blinking. 

“Quentin? Hey.”

He jabbed Quentin’s foot with his own but got no reaction from him. He knelt in front of him and shoved his shoulder but still no response. He waved his hands in front of Quentin’s face. After a few seconds he finally blinked once. 

“What’s wrong with you? Are you sleepwalking or something?”

Quentin was always a little odd but this was abnormal behavior, even for him. 

“Hey nerd, can you hear me? Stand with me ok?”

He grabbed Quentin’s arm and tugged him up to standing position but he just whined and his legs gave out and penny had to sit him back down. The static was louder being this close to him. The words pushing through his mind were more intense. 

Not knowing what else to do, he went back upstairs to Eliot’s room and woke him.

“Penny? What time is it? What are you doing?”

“Quentin’s mind woke me up. It was weirder than normal and really...sad. He’s sitting on the steps completely zoned out. I can’t get him to move.”

Eliot looked over at the empty space in the bed beside him. 

“Shit, he was here, we fell asleep.”

He quickly got up and went with Penny downstairs. He knelt down in front of Quentin to get a closer look at him. His eyes were heavy and struggling to stay open but checked out. Eliot reached out and tapped his cheek lightly.

“Quentin. Hey, Q.”

Quentin briefly looked at Eliot with acknowledgement but then his eyes fell shut.

Penny stepped closer.

“Is he on drugs or something?”

“No, he’s having a depressive episode. I should’ve seen this coming. I knew he was doing too much and stressing himself out. He was on overdrive with exams and hardly sleeping and he’s finally crashed. He’s mentally exhausted. I should’ve watched him closer.”

“Shit. You couldn’t have known, Eliot. We were all busy with our own shit and studying our asses off.”

“I know, I just feel like I should’ve seen it. I can usually read him so well. How did he even get down here?”

Eliot reached forward and tucked Quentin’s hair that was hanging in his face behind his ear and placed his palm on his cheek. He ran his thumb across his cheekbone and Quentin leaned into his touch and closed his eyes.

“Q? Think you can stand with me and go up to bed? Come on, come with me.”

He stood and tried to bring Quentin with him but his legs wouldn’t hold him. Quentin tried to let go and lay down on the steps. 

“Q, no. I know you’re exhausted but we need to get you upstairs first.” 

Quentin whined and curled into himself. 

“I got him. Move.”

Penny pushed Eliot aside gently and effortlessly lifted Quentin into his arms. He tried to fight him for a few seconds but his exhaustion won and he went limp. Penny carried him to Eliot’s bed, Eliot trailing close behind him. 

Once there, Penny waited while Eliot arranged the blankets and then laid him down. 

“Thanks Penny.”

“Yeah, it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it. Hey, he’s gonna be ok. This isn’t the first time, right? In the meantime, should we call a doctor or like, give him medicine?”

“No. He has medicine. He just needs time and lots of rest.” 

After Penny went back to his room, Eliot climbed into bed beside Quentin and pulled him close. Quentin wiggled a little, settling his head on Eliot’s chest. He tried to say something but it came out in whines and mumbles. Eliot wrapped his arms around him tightly, running his hands up and down his back.

“Shh, relax. It’s ok, Q. You don’t need to say anything. Just rest. I’m gonna take care of you.”


End file.
